Moderates force delay on religion bill vote
Scott Morrison was forced to postpone a vote on his Religious Discrimination Bill in the lower house on Thursday amid concerns that moderate Liberal MPs would help stall its passage.
Scott Morrison was forced to postpone a vote on his Religious Discrimination Bill in the lower house on Thursday amid concerns that moderate Liberal MPs would join Labor, the Greens and crossbenchers to stall its passage.
Christian groups and conservative Liberals attacked commitments the Prime Minister made to amend the Sex Discrimination Act – after pressure from moderate Liberals – to ensure gay students would not be expelled or suspended over their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Australian Christian Lobby and Christian school groups threatened to withdraw their support for the bill if an amended SDA removed exemptions for religious institutions protecting the “teaching and daily operation of faith-based schools”.
ACL national director of politics Wendy Francis said “talk of simultaneously removing section 38(3) of the Sex Discrimination Act, which protects the teaching and daily operation of faith-based schools, in exchange for … support for the Religious Discrimination Bill is extremely unhelpful”.
“The Australian Christian Lobby will withdraw its support for the Religious Discrimination Bill package if it includes the removal of section 38(3),” Ms Francis said.
Mr Morrison on Wednesday agreed to a proposal put forward by four moderate Liberal MPs to fast-track SDA amendments and ensure gay students could not be expelled, suspended or discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
He also dropped plans to bring on a vote on the Religious Discrimination Bill amid concerns that moderate Liberal MPs could join Labor, the Greens and crossbenchers in stalling the process.
The government allowed a motion by Greens senator Janet Rice in the upper house, establishing a second inquiry into the religious discrimination legislation.
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